Forget the deal, win over the people instead

Playing to his strengths Mr Howard is given the rock star
treatment during his meet-and-greet session yesterday.Photo: Bob Pearce

Tom Allard and Bellinda KontominasJuly 11, 2006

TO BREATHLESS teenage squeals of "ohmygod!" and "he's sooo
coool", John Howard began the defence of his leadership yesterday
with his most potent weapon - his popularity.

The setting was near-perfect as he was engulfed by the biggest
political crisis of his 10-year government: a glittering day at the
Opera House, with his home of the past decade, Kirribilli House,
resplendent just across the harbour.

The news conference in the western courtyard was vintage Howard.
Terse, tightly scripted and relentlessly "on message". There was no
leadership deal, he said. Just as he and Peter Costello had been
saying for years.

Mr Howard said the 1994 meeting, at which he is said to have
given an undertaking to hand over the leadership, did take place.
But "there were many discussions about the future leadership of the
party at that time that went on for weeks after that particular
meeting", Mr Howard added.

Ipso facto, "nothing could have been concluded at that
meeting".

Abruptly concluding the news conference, he turned on his heel
for a rare prime ministerial promenade down the Opera House
concourse.

Surprised families waved back as Mr Howard loudly declared the
weather to be fine. The students of Perth's Penrhos College went
gaga. "You're our favourite politician," they screamed as Mr
Howard, and the trailing media scrum, joined them for some hearty
glad-handing and pictures.

"It's pretty cool to meet John Howard in person," said Olivia
Loxley, 16. "We'd all vote for him if we were 18." Another student,
Brittany Lynch, said: "He's pretty short in person - oh my God, I'm
taller than John Howard."

The deepening rift with his Treasurer sent Mr Howard and his top
advisers into crisis talks. A brief statement was issued later
saying nothing in the political landscape had changed.

However, his senior officials know better. The leadership
elephant in the room is suddenly smashing the furniture.

Mr Costello, who spent yesterday ensconced in his offices, is
bracing for a long, drawn-out fight.

Impromptu it may have seemed, but Mr Howard's harbourside
meet-and-greet - which followed the Australian of the Year launch
at the Opera House - was clearly calculated. Although many in the
party may scoff at his insistence there was no leadership deal
struck with Mr Costello, few could deny his appeal to the
electorate.

The Prime Minister is banking that, ultimately, this is what
will determine the outcome of the leadership tussle.

SPONSORED LINKS

1152383677710-smh.com.auhttp://www.smh.com.au/news/national/forget-the-deal-win-over-the-people-instead/2006/07/10/1152383677710.htmlsmh.com.auSydney Morning Herald2006-07-11Forget the deal, win over the people insteadTom Allard and Bellinda KontominasNationalhttp://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2006/07/10/howard11707_wideweb__470x264,0.jpg

Playing to his strengths &#133; Mr Howard is given the rock star
treatment during his meet-and-greet session yesterday.